Force sensing based on capacitance changes
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a first capacitive sensing element formed from an optically transparent material; and
a second capacitive sensing element capacitively coupled to the first capacitive sensing element and formed from an optically transparent material;
a frame defining a sensing gap between the first capacitive sensing element and the second capacitive sensing element; and
a polarizer element disposed within the sensing gap;
whereinthe first and second capacitive sensing elements are disposed to provide a measure of capacitance based on a force applied to a user input surface of the electronic device.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A force sensing device for electronic device. The force inputs may be detected by measuring changes in capacitance, as measured by surface flex of a device having a flexible touchable surface, causing flex at a compressible gap within the device. A capacitive sensor responsive to changes in distance across the compressible gap. The sensor can be positioned above or below, or within, a display element, and above or below, or within, a backlight unit. The device can respond to bending, twisting, or other deformation, to adjust those zero force measurements. The device can use measure of surface flux that appear at positions on the surface not directly the subject of applied force, such as when the user presses on a part of the frame or a surface without capacitive sensors.
157 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. An electronic device, comprising:
-
a first capacitive sensing element formed from an optically transparent material; and a second capacitive sensing element capacitively coupled to the first capacitive sensing element and formed from an optically transparent material; a frame defining a sensing gap between the first capacitive sensing element and the second capacitive sensing element; and a polarizer element disposed within the sensing gap;
whereinthe first and second capacitive sensing elements are disposed to provide a measure of capacitance based on a force applied to a user input surface of the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An electronic device, comprising:
-
a user input surface; a frame positioned below the user input surface; capacitive sensing element at least partially supported by the frame; a polarizer layer disposed below the capacitive sensing element; a ground layer disposed below the polarizer layer and capacitively coupled to the capacitive sensing element and separated therefrom by the sensing gap; a processing unit operatively coupled to the capacitive sensing element;
whereinthe frame defines a sensing gap between the capacitive sensing element and the ground layer; the polarizer layer is disposed within the sensing gap; and the capacitive sensing element and the ground layer are disposed to provide a measure of capacitance based on a force applied to the user input surface and the processing unit is configured to correlate the measure of capacitance to a magnitude of the force applied. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification